Wood River Land Trust Co

The Wood River Land Trust, a dedicated organization, is committed to safeguarding the cherished landscapes and life-giving waters of the Wood River Valley for future generations, fostering a deep appreciation for this special place. Through their mission, they strive to protect and sustain the valley's natural beauty, ensuring its survival for generations to come.

The Wood River Land Trust actively engages in land acquisition and conservation projects, working tirelessly to preserve open spaces and vital ecosystems. One of their notable achievements was the protection of Warm Springs Ranch in Ketchum, a significant open space within the city that has traditionally been used as an informal off-leash dog park and nature area. The Trust contributed to the city's successful campaign to acquire the property, ensuring that it will be maintained as a public park forever. They also plan to enhance recreational amenities within the park and restore one mile of Warm Springs Creek as it flows through the property.

In addition to their land protection efforts, the Wood River Land Trust is also involved in regional planning initiatives in response to the rapid growth and change in the Wood River Valley. They recently purchased a 15-acre property on Bullion Street, contiguous with the Hailey Greenway, and plan to hold approximately 8 acres for conservation purposes, incorporating it into the Hailey Greenway to secure public access and protect mature cottonwood forest and riparian habitat. The remaining 7 acres adjacent to city services will be made available for workforce housing, demonstrating how smart growth practices can provide for critical workforce housing inventory while also protecting important natural resources.

Other notable projects include the acquisition of the Simons/Bauer Preserve, which protects the mouth of Croy Canyon and a mile of Croy Creek as it feeds into the Big Wood River, and the Queens Crown property, a 281-acre property with significant habitat connectivity for big game, upland birds, and greater sage-grouse. The Trust also collaborates with ranchers and property owners to protect approximately 90,000 acres in the Pioneer Mountains-Craters of the Moon landscape through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Agricultural Lands Easement Program. They continue to work with private landowners to restore habitat burned in the Sharps Fire and collect information on greater sage-grouse populations, aiming to restore habitat on conserved lands. The Wood River Land Trust also updates their Strategic Conservation Plan annually to incorporate the latest climate science and knowledge on ecological resilience into their prioritization models.